The Chief Executive Officer of Backbone Connectivity Network (BCN), Mr. Ibrahim Dikko has called for collaborations between the government, its agencies, and players in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry. Dikko, who made the call in Lagos while speaking with journalists, said this has become imperative given current challenges hindering ICT development in the country.
According to him, there currently exists a wide gap between the players and the government, adding that this has created myriads of challenges such as multiple taxation and difficulties in getting the Right of Way permit. “If the industry players and the government work together, there won’t be issues of an agency shutting down base stations or cutting fibres during road constructions. We must realise that the technology business is a national business. It is a business that transforms the economy, hence, the players, who are mostly from the private sector must be seen as partners in progress by the government. There must be a synergy between the private and public sectors,” he said.
Dikko noted that with the recent fall in the price of crude oil, which is the main source of the nation’s economy, Nigeria must realise that it has no other option than to diversify by leveraging technology. However, he said transforming the economy with technology would only be realised if governments at all levels understand this need and collaboratively work towards the goal with the industry players.
He, therefore, commended the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami, for his recent initiatives aimed at building a digital economy. He expressed confidence that the digital strategy currently being implemented by the Minister would transform the nation’s economy if supported by all stakeholders, stressing that collaboration in this area is also key.
According to him, the umbrella body of all players in the ICT industry, the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), has taken a bold step in this regard through its forthcoming National Dialogue on Telecoms and ICT. The event scheduled to hold March 26 in Abuja, he said, would create the opportunity for governments, their agencies and the private sector operators to forge collaborations towards achieving the common goal of ICT development in Nigeria.
The Backbone Connectivity CEO also applauded the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) for their respective roles in sustaining a vibrant telecoms and technology industry.